How to grow a delphinium from seeds. Unique delphinium: growing from seeds of perennial and annual plants

A perennial plant that is well suited to a variety of ornamental plantings- delphinium. The cultivation of hybrid forms is quite common in floriculture, although there are beautiful wild species. The delphinium has powerful bushes about two meters high. The leaves are palpable, large. Flowers of various colors (white, purple, etc.), reach a diameter of 5 cm. The flowers are collected in an inflorescence - a brush. It is the beauty of the delphinium. The brushes are long, thick, lush. Their length can reach 60-120 cm. Flowers bloom from the bottom up. If faded shoots are removed in a timely manner, then in some forms, under favorable conditions, new inflorescences develop and the decorative effect remains until early September. After flowering, the decorative effect is lost.

Growing delphinium from seeds

So that the delphinium seeds do not lose their germination, it is recommended to keep them in the refrigerator at a temperature of plus five degrees in or in a glass sealed container. Since seedlings are susceptible to various diseases, before sowing, the substrate must be disinfected with a 3-5% formalin solution, and the seeds should be treated with a fungicide or 0.1 percent (placed in gauze bags for ten minutes in the solution). Sowing seeds is done in different conditions. They are sown before winter in the furrow, when persistent frosts set in. The soil is prepared in advance. From above, the seeds are covered with humus, which is stored in a dark room until sowing. Sometimes seeds are sown in spring directly into the ground (April, May). Thick shoots are thinned out (10 by 10) when the seedlings have a few true leaves. Excess plants are transferred to the ridges, protecting them at first from the sun with shields. But guaranteed seedlings can be achieved when working in a greenhouse, room, greenhouse. The best time for sowing seeds is March. In this case, the delphinium blooms in August.

Substrates:

Humus: sand: sod land (2/1/1);

Leaf (peat land): river sand: (2/1/1).

How to grow a delphinium from seeds

It turned out that amateur crops often turn out unsuccessful. Indeed, sowing and growing delphinium from seeds requires compliance required details. The following is a detailed technique that will provide quality cultivation delphinium from seeds and obtaining seedlings, developed by a specialist in delphinium culture N. I. Malyutin. The prepared substrate must be sieved. The earth in boxes, especially at the side walls, is well compacted and watered abundantly. Dry earth is poured on top, after which the surface must be carefully leveled with a ruler. Otherwise, water will drain into the recesses, which can lead to uneven and even rotting of seedlings. Sown randomly, at the rate of 1-2 seeds per 1 cm². When planting, seeds should be lightly pressed into the ground with a rammer. Then carefully pour and cover with earth with a layer of about 3 mm, sifting it through a fine sieve. Sowing failures are associated with deep seed placement. In the case of a slight exposure of seeds after watering, they can be lightly sprinkled with earth. To protect the substrate from drying out, the boxes are covered with paper. After germination (about 10 days at a temperature of 15 - 16 ° C), the paper is removed and the boxes are placed closer to the light. It is necessary to ensure uniform moistening of the earth. The lack of moisture manifests itself in the form of a dark green color of the leaves and cotyledons, which are usually light. If during watering the water does not penetrate to the bottom of the boxes, they must be placed briefly in iron pans filled with water. Then the moisture will go to the roots, leaving the surface of the earth dry, and the seedlings will not suffer from the "black leg". If the cultivation of delphinium from seeds occurs according to the above method, the first leaves appear 4-6 weeks. Seedlings dive into the nursery at a distance of about 4 cm. It is important to consider that delphinium seeds with a dark color of flowers germinate longer than with light ones. Therefore, it is not necessary to postpone picking when sowing varieties with light flowers. When picking seedlings, care must be taken not to cover the growing point with earth. Deep landing undesirable. Seedlings should be watered after transplanting. warm water and put in a shaded place for 5-6 days, and then give full light. Plants are ready for planting in the main soil by May.

Delphinium New Zealand Giant has a truly huge size. It grows to a height of up to 200 cm, the flowers are large and beautiful, with a cold beauty. For this, the people call this variety “Ice Heart”. It owes its origin to botanists from New Zealand. Consider growing it from seed: how and when to plant.

This beautiful plant that loves the morning sun has become a frequent visitor to our gardens. It can be buy ready, or you can grow it yourself from purchased seeds.

Rules for storing seeds at home

At home, the seeds are stored in sealed capsules in the freezer of the refrigerator. With such storage, the seeds will not lose their germination capacity even after 10 years of storage.

Poor seed quality will result in wasted labor and nothing will grow

Therefore, very often when purchasing seeds from unknown manufacturers, gardeners wonder why, doing everything according to the rules, they have seeds do not germinate. The answer is simple - they do not have fresh seeds.

If the seeds were stored at room temperature in a paper wrapper, then in less than a year, most of the seeds will not sprout.

Purchase seeds in the garden center from well-known manufacturers.

When to Plant the New Zealand Giant

Growing Delphinium from seeds brings great pleasure to the grower. You can plant at the end of February, when there are already at times spring sun. If it is not there, then the seedlings will have to arrange illumination with special lamps.

Some gardeners focus on moon calendar for planting flower crops. It is easier to do this knowing that the seeds sown in the second half of February.

If it is growing, then feel free to start sowing Delphinium seeds. It is important to have quality seeds.

What container to plant

The container is selected with a height of 10-12 cm from plastic, since a wooden one will be heavy and bulky. The main thing is that at the bottom of the tank there are drainage holes for draining water.

A small pot is unlikely to suit such a pet

You can also sow in peat pellets or peat cups, then growing seedlings will not have to be picked, and when transplanted to the main place of residence in the garden, the roots will not be injured.

It should be convenient for the grower to use this container for seedlings.

Soil preparation

Soil preparation in the garden should be carried out in the fall. It is dug up 30 cm deep and rotted manure and sand are brought in. When digging, various roots of weeds and insect pest larvae are removed. In the spring, the place for seedlings of Delphinium is once again dug up and leveled so that there is no big clods earth.

The plant prefers fertile soil.

Step by step disembarkation

We fill the selected container with prepared soil. When it is 2/3 full, the soil is watered with warm water. The whole procedure for sowing seeds occurs in stages:

1. Seeds are spread over the surface of the soil.
2. We attach a tag to the container, which variety is sown in this container.
3. We cover the seeds thin layer soil no more than 3 mm.
4. Watering from above is carried out with the help of a small sprayer.
5. Then we cover the container with a dark bag.

Delphinium seeds sprout best in complete darkness, but you must not miss the moment of germination in order to expose them to light. Together with the bag we put the container in the refrigerator for 14 days.

We can say that after such manipulations, the first shoots should appear in 2 weeks.

What substrate is needed

Substrate for planting seedlings can be purchased at a garden center or made by yourself. To make the soil yourself, all the ingredients are taken in equal amounts:

• Peat;
• Garden land;
• Humus.

To decontaminate this land the best way is to use the freezing method. To do this, the soil is folded into a bag and sent for a day to freezer refrigerator.

The soil should be nutritious and loose.

Seedling care in the first days after planting

Strong and healthy sprouts have in green and stay even in their cups. Watering is carried out with boiled water and always warm.

In order not to wash the tender seeds out of the soil, use a tablespoon or a syringe without a needle.

At this stage, watering is required as accurately as possible.

When two real leaf plates are clearly visible at the sprout, carry out a pick in separate 200 gr. cups filled with nutritious and loose soil.

To temperature environment was no more than 20 degrees.

When and how to transplant into a pot

In August they take mother plant not younger than 4 years old and separate from it the vegetative part with the root system and waiting growth buds. All this seedling is planted in a suitable container and transferred to a cooler place.

In October, this container with a flower is lowered into the basement, and it stays there until the beginning of January. Then the container is brought into the apartment, and through certain time leaves appear, and then a peduncle.

What is the peculiarity of growing from seeds for seedlings or for planting in a pot.

The peculiarity is that an adult delenka is transplanted into a pot, which will bloom in winter time, and with the help of seeds in the first summer you can’t wait for flowering or the arrow will be rather frail and you won’t see all the beauty of the variety.

General facts about Delphinium

This beautiful flower shoots out a long arrow and up to 80 flowers of various shades bloom on it. There are tall varieties, and if they are rather low, they are all very decorative.

Few people will question the decorative abilities of this pet.

Do Delphinium need stratification

Stratification Delphinium seeds obligatory and continues for 15 days. Stratification is also used with other plants. For example, as an element.

reproduction

In addition to seed propagation, there are also:

1. Division of the mother bush.
2. Cuttings.

The division of the bush

Produce once every six years, since during this time, growing in one place, it begins to degenerate and therefore requires a transplant. seated or in early spring, or already in early autumn, when the heat subsides.

The old bush is removed from the ground, shaken off the soil and divided into equal parts, so that they have both the root system and the waiting growth buds.

Each part is planted independently in a separate place prepared in advance.

cuttings

Propagate in June by cutting green cuttings from an adult mother bush. The air temperature must be not less than 20 degrees of heat.

The cuttings are planted in the shade and covered with a glass jar and do not forget to water. After 20 days, the cuttings will acquire their own root system.

Diseases and pests

Delphinium seedlings, due to high humidity and a small amount of sunlight, are sometimes subject to the "black leg" disease. Upon detection, the affected sprout is removed, and all the rest are watered with Previkur.

powdery mildew - affects adult plants at high humidity and high air temperature. Affected plants are removed and destroyed outside the site, and the rest are treated with Bordeaux liquid.

Viral mosaic- this disease is not cured and therefore the plant is removed with a clod of earth in which it grew.

At the first sign of the disease, treat and save the plant.

Perennial and annual

Variety Belladonna Variety Elatum Variety Lilac Spiral Variety Piccolo Variety Nakhtwakhe

Perennial Delphiniums are subdivided into three groups:

Belladonna	Arnold Becklin	with bright blue flowers
	Piccolo	flowers have blue petals
	Lamartine	with blue semi-double flowers
	Merheim	having simple white petals and the same center
Elatum	Nakhtwakhe	with purple flowers
	perlmutrbaum	having a dark center and a pearly blue color
	Abgesang	flowers of cornflower blue, reaching a length of 170 cm
	Bornimer Hybriden	with blue petals
	Lady Belinda	white color
Domestic varieties	Pledge of Youth	pale color pink, with semi-double petals and black eye
	Memory of Cranes	with purple flowers and a black eye, diameter - up to 8 cm
	Lilac Spiral	having bicolor flowers up to 7 cm in diameter with lilac petals

Annual Delphiniums are represented by varieties:

• field bush 2 m in height, blooms in loose inflorescences, the flower arrow is 30 cm. Pink and blue shades predominate;
• Delphinium Ajax- the height of this hybrid, depending on the variety, has a different height from 25 cm to 100 cm. Among these varieties, flowers with double colors and various shades buds.

• For wintering, it is best to cover with leaf litter or spruce paws, and cover the cut hollow stems of peduncles with plasticine or clay. This will help avoid rotting.

White varieties are planted in full sun as they need more light.

• If the varieties are planted interspersed, then the purity of the variety lost over time.

This beautiful regal flower deserves to be planted in your flower garden. Because his beautiful and fragrant candles are admired by those who have ever seen them.

Novice flower growers can tell little about such a representative of the ranunculus family as the delphinium. Experienced summer residents it is known as larkspur and spur. It includes about 450 varieties of annual and perennial plants. The group of annual delphiniums is represented by 40 species. It is also customary to distinguish an adjacent genus called sokirkami (Consolida). The habitual habitat of delphiniums is China, as well as most of the countries of Southeast Asia.

At the first meeting, many people get the impression that an undisclosed delphinium is very looks like a dolphin's head. This explains its name. At the same time, there is another hypothesis, according to which the name of the plant is associated with Greek city Delphi, where delphiniums grew in large numbers. But regardless of which version is true, most flower growers pay attention to decorative properties plants, so in the flower garden it will not be superfluous.

Delphinium flower: features

To grow this flower, you need to make a lot of effort, but first you should receive theoretical training.

If you spend enough time and effort caring for delphiniums, then you will subsequently be rewarded for your efforts - in June and then in August or September you will have the opportunity to enjoy the lush flowering of this plant.

In order for the New Zealand delphinium to become one of the main decorations of your site, you need to get acquainted with the main stages of its cultivation in open ground conditions.

Sowing delphinium

Using seeds to grow this perennial not only saves money, but also brings pleasure in the process of holding various events. Moreover, planting seeds is not the only method of delphinium propagation. Also common ways are division of rhizome, buds and cuttings. However, we are more interested in growing delphinium from seeds.

It is best to plan sowing at the end of February. It must be borne in mind that the conditions for storing seeds must be appropriate. If they lie in a dry and warm place, this will negatively affect their germination. Therefore, if you got fresh seeds, then sowing should be done immediately or they can be left until the right moment by placing them in the refrigerator.

• perennial seeds new zealand delphinium sown only after their disinfection. To do this, put the planting material in a gauze bag and leave it in a solution of potassium permanganate bright pink color for 20 minutes.
• Also, seed treatment can be carried out using a solution prepared on the basis of a fungicide. However, in this case, you must strictly follow the instructions.
• After that, the seeds should be washed directly in gauze with cold water, and then placed for a day in an epin solution. To prepare it, it is necessary to dilute a few drops of the substance in half a glass of water. After these operations, the seeds are pulled out and allowed to dry.

The next step is soil preparation. To do this, you need to take equal amounts of peat, garden soil and humus, as well as half of the washed and sifted sand. Also useful in this composition add perlite in accordance with the scheme - half a glass of the substance per 5 liters of the mixture. Thanks to him, the soil will become more moisture-intensive and loose. Then the mixture must be placed in a water bath for heating and hold it there for 1 hour. As a result of such processing, you will remove weed seeds and fungal spores. After that, they take the prepared containers and put the soil mixture in them, tamping it from time to time.

Planting a delphinium. Sow the seeds in such a way that they are evenly distributed on the surface of the soil. At the same time, you need to attach labels indicating the variety and day of sowing. Next, directly on the seeds you need to pour the soil mixture with a layer of 3 mm. This will help prevent seeds from floating during the first watering. Upper layer it is necessary to roll lightly. Then take cold boiled water and spray the soil. Then the container with plantings is covered with a transparent lid, a black film or covering material is placed on it. This will create favorable conditions for the germination of delphinium seeds, since the fastest shoots appear in the dark. Then the containers must be installed on the windowsill as close as possible to the glass.

For the speedy germination of seeds, it is necessary to maintain the temperature within + 10-15 degrees. The number of germinated seeds will be maximum if you put the container for 3-4 days in a refrigerator or a glazed balcony. At the same time, you should not be afraid of a cold snap at night - they can easily withstand temperatures up to -5 degrees. After another two weeks, you need to put the container with the seeds on the windowsill.

The positive effect of this operation, which is called stratification, will manifest itself in the form of germination in one to two weeks. Therefore, you need to constantly check the condition of the plantings and remove the film when the first shoots appear. You should also make sure that the ground is constantly moist. This requires regular to spray it and open the container for air access, with which condensate will be removed.

delphinium seedling

You can identify healthy seedlings by their dark green color and strong stems. Their cotyledons usually have a pointed shape. After waiting for the formation of 2-3 leaves in the plants, they pick the plants with a transplant into pots with a volume of 230 ml. Now they are being grown at temperatures not higher than + 20 degrees Celsius. They need to be planted in a loose and breathable substrate.

Plants are not watered very often, because there is a danger of the formation of a "black leg", due to which all seedlings may die. In early May, start airing the seedlings on the windowsill so that it can better adapt to natural conditions. It is also useful to take it out for a short time in the bright sun.

Before the moment comes for planting seedlings in a permanent place, they need to be fed. To do this, drugs are used "Agricola" and "Mortar" who make one or two times with an interval of two weeks. During this operation, avoid getting the solution on the leaves. When the seedlings are old enough, they are planted in open ground. Usually at this stage, the earthen ball in the pot is already completely penetrated by the root system, so it will not be difficult to remove the seedlings from the containers.

Favorable for planting seedlings of the New Zealand delphinium in a permanent place is the time when the last frosts have passed. I would like to repeat once again that it should be planted on a site that is illuminated by the sun before lunch, where water will not stagnate.

Before planting, it is necessary to prepare holes that must have the following dimensions:

• diameter - 40 cm;
• depth - 50 cm;
• distance between plants - 60-70 cm.

After that, they must be filled with soil mixture, for which you need to take humus (half a bucket), complex fertilizer (2 tablespoons), ash (1 cup). The composition must be mixed with the ground so that there is no contact of fertilizers with the root system of seedlings. Next, you need to form a recess, plant a seedling in it, tamp the root zone well and water the bed. In the first weeks after planting need protection from adverse conditions: for this they are put on plastic bottles or glass jars. With such shelter, they should grow to full rooting. At the first sign of growth, the shelter is removed.

Delphinium Care

Growing from seeds takes a lot of energy from the gardener, but caring for a plant is no less important than planting it. After waiting for the moment when the shoots reach a height of 10-15 cm, they are fed with a solution of cow manure. To prepare it, you need to dilute a bucket of fertilizer in 10 liters of water. The given norm is designed for 5 large bushes. After the next weeding, the beds cover the soil layer of mulch 3 cm thick. It can be humus or peat.

Thinning of the bushes will be required at the moment when the height of the stems is 20-30 cm. After the operation, no more than 3-5 stems should remain in the bush. As a result, it will be possible to expect that larger and more beautiful inflorescences will grow from them. During thinning, it is necessary to cut out the weakest shoots of the inner part of the bush. You need to choose a place for the cut as close to the ground as possible. Subsequently, this will protect against plant damage by diseases, and also provide a good air flow.

If, after thinning, it turned out that the cuttings are not hollow and contain a heel, then they can be used for rooting. To do this, apply a mixture to the place of the cut. charcoal and crushed tablets of heteroauxin, and then the stalk should be sprinkled with a mixture of sand and peat and placed under the film. The first roots of the cuttings begin to form already after 3-6 weeks. When another two weeks pass, they are planted in the garden. This is how the delphinium is propagated by cuttings.

After waiting for the moment when the height of the plants is 40-50 cm, next to each bush you need to install 3 supporting rods up to 180 cm high. It is advisable to choose places for them away from the roots. Next, you need to tie the stems of the plant to them with ribbons or strips of fabric. This will help prevent them from hitting the stems and getting damaged during strong wind. Once again, the garter is carried out when the plants reached a height of 100-120 cm.

Conclusion

Surely every summer resident dreams of growing a plant unusual for our country on his site. Therefore, a perennial delphinium can be a good option in this regard. Growing from seed is one of the most simple ways. Many note original look its flower, which has resemblance to the head of a dolphin. Therefore, this is already a good reason to grow this plant in your backyard. Success in this business largely depends on seedlings, so it is necessary to pay attention to each stage of its cultivation. It is important not only to maintain a comfortable thermal regime, but also to correctly calculate the irrigation rate, otherwise the delphinium seedlings will not be able to survive until they are planted in the garden.

The pride of many gardeners are the majestic and colorful flowers of the delphinium. This culture can not only add variety to the appearance of the site, but also fit perfectly into almost any design. And, despite the fact that growing a delphinium from seeds at home is quite difficult, many flower growers (including beginners) are fond of this process. Moreover, in financial terms, sowing a delphinium is much cheaper than buying a ready-made, "store" planting material. And we just have to figure out how to do it right.

Delphinium flowers are distinguished by increased endurance, they perfectly tolerate partial shading and even mild frosts. However, they can rarely be found in flowerbeds and gardens, since growing this crop, as noted above, is quite difficult.

Delphinium, also known as the spur, is represented by more than four hundred species, among which there are both one and perennials and all of them are poisonous. Delphinium flowers are very beautiful, they are really worth it to grow them on the site.

Varieties of delphinium

If we talk about annual plants, then the most famous of them include the Field Delphinium and Ajax. Consider the features of each of them.

Table number 1. Common annual delphiniums

Name	a brief description of
	It differs in that it can grow up to 2 meters in height. Flowers can be double or simple and have a variety of colors - from white to lilac. The most spectacular representatives of Delphinium Consolida are: Frosted Sky, Qis Dark Blue and Qis Rose. Often flowering begins in early summer and lasts until autumn.
	It is a hybrid that has absorbed the best qualities of its "ancestors" after selection. The height of the stem is 0.4-1 meter, the leaves are practically sessile and strongly dissected, and spike-shaped inflorescences, which can reach 30 centimeters in length, can be either white, purple or blue, or pink. Is here and dwarf varieties- for example, Dwarf Hyacinth-flowered, not exceeding 30 centimeters in height and characterized by beautiful double flowers(the latter can be white, purple, raspberry or pink). Flowering begins in June and ends just before frost.

As for perennial delphinium, then the first copies were bred in the century before last. As of today perennial varieties cultures boast about 800 shades and include plants of various sizes and types of flowers. Hybrid perennials are conditionally divided into several groups according to their place of origin, let's get acquainted with the most popular of them.

Table number 2. Popular perennial delphiniums

Name	a brief description of
	They are distinguished by increased decorativeness and frost resistance, they have large semi-double flowers with colorful contrasting "eyes". But it is extremely difficult to grow such a perennial from seeds, because they do not retain varietal characteristics.
	Bred by Tony Cockley, they have dense inflorescences with double/super double flowers that can have up to 58 petals. The height of the plant can reach 1.5 meters, while the length of the inflorescences is as much as 80 centimeters. The color palette of the "Scots" is quite large, they themselves are unpretentious and durable, and when propagated by seeds, they perfectly preserve varietal characteristics. To famous varieties include Deepest Pink, Morning Sunrise and Moon Light.
	Bred relatively recently, they are distinguished by tall stems (up to 2.2 meters), large (up to 9 centimeters in diameter) flowers of double / semi-double type. Tellingly, some of the petals may be corrugated. These plants are resistant to low temperatures and diseases, they are durable and excellent after cutting, and therefore enjoy considerable popularity. Common varieties include Sweethearts, Sunny Skies and Pagan Perples.

Video - The best varieties of perennial delphinium for the garden

Secrets of successful sowing

The misconception about the impossibility of seed cultivation of the delphinium appeared due to the fact that not every flower grower knows about the features of this plant. And if you buy seeds somewhere in the market, and not in a special store, then the risk of poor germination increases significantly, because the guarantee good development are the storage conditions for planting material. For example, at room temperature, the properties of seedlings remain for a maximum of 11 months, but if the temperature is below zero, then this period can increase to 15 years.

In a word, when buying seeds at dubious points of sale, one should not forget that even if all conditions for cultivation are met, the result can still be very bad. For this reason, it is better to use the services of reliable suppliers or breeders.

Note! Gardeners whose plot is already decorated with delphiniums can collect the seeds with their own hands. It is preferable to collect in sunny weather.

The harvested fruits must be ripe (they are often brown in color). The highest quality material in plants that have grown and developed fully. You need to store the seeds in an airtight glass container, preferably in a cool place (a refrigerator, a veranda, a balcony, etc. will serve as the latter). Now consider directly the procedure of sowing and further care.

Stage one. We prepare the seeds

Sow culture should be at the end of February. If the seeds are fresh, plant them immediately or, alternatively, store them in the refrigerator for the required time.

Immediately before sowing, carry out disinfection: place the seeds in a bag of gauze and immerse in a solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes. It is worth noting that a fungicide may well be used instead of potassium permanganate - in this case, prepare a disinfectant solution in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Then wash the seeds (do not remove them from the gauze) in cold water and insist in epin solution for 24 hours (prepare a solution at the rate of 20-30 milliliters per liter of water). Then dry the seeds well so that they do not stick together.

Stage two. Preparing the ground

mix garden soil, peat and compost in a ratio of 1:1:1, then pour ½ part of well-washed sand into it and sift everything thoroughly. To increase looseness, you can add a small amount of perlite (½ cup for every 5 liters of soil). Next, heat the resulting product in a water bath for one hour in order to destroy fungal spores and seeds weeds. At the end, pour the mixture into pre-prepared containers, compacting it somewhat.

Stage three. Sowing seeds

The procedure consists of several stages, we will get acquainted with the features of each of them.

Step one. First, spread the seeds of the crop over the surface of the soil. It is advisable to immediately attach pieces of paper that indicate the date and name of a particular variety.

Step two. Pour a three-millimeter layer of soil mixture over the seeds so that they do not appear on the surface after watering. Next, lightly compact this layer.

Step three. Gently water the surface using chilled boiled water.

Spray watering

Step four. Close the container with a transparent lid, and then with a special covering material or with a black film (seeds will rise more intensively in the dark).

Step five. Place the container on a windowsill, preferably as close to a window as possible.

Note! The air temperature should be between +10°C and +15°C.

Step six. To increase germination, three to four days after sowing, put the seedlings in the refrigerator or on the balcony (necessarily glazed).

There is no need to worry about low temperatures. After two weeks, transfer the container back to the windowsill. Upon completion of this procedure (and it is known as stratification), the first shoots will appear in about one to two weeks - after that, immediately remove the film.

Do not allow the soil to dry out, periodically moisten it and ventilate the container to eliminate condensation.

Video - How to sow delphinium seeds

Stage four. Taking care of seedlings

The color of healthy sprouts should be dark green, and the cotyledons themselves should be characteristically pointed. When two or three true leaves appear on each plant, start diving the delphinium into small pots with a capacity of 200-300 milliliters, and then grow it at a temperature not exceeding + 20 ° C.

Make the soil loose so that it passes air. Water moderately, otherwise a “black leg” may form, which can cause the death of seedlings.

In early May, begin to “accustom” seedlings to fresh air, for which leave them on the windowsill with each airing. Also, plants should spend some time under the sun. Apply top dressing before transplanting into open soil once or twice with a two-week break (use "Mortar" or "Agricola"), while the agent should not fall on the leaves.

Note! Proceed with transplanting when the clod of soil in the pot is completely entwined with roots - this will make it easier to remove the plants along with the ground, and the root system will not be damaged.

Stage five. We transplant seedlings

As soon as the threat of frost has passed, start planting seedlings in open ground. Choose for this sunny plot, on which moisture does not stagnate, then dig 50 cm holes with a diameter of 40 centimeters at a distance of no more than 70 centimeters from each other. Fill each hole with ½ bucket of compost, 200 grams of ash and two tbsp. spoons of fertilizer complex type. After that, mix it all with the soil, but in such a way as to avoid getting top dressing on the roots. Make a hole in each hole, carefully place a seedling in it, lightly tamp the soil around and water the bed well.

First, cover each plant with a PET bottle. When the delphiniums take root and grow, remove the protection.

Stage six. Further care

When the height reaches 10-15 centimeters, feed the plants with a special mixture prepared from:

• cow dung (one bucket);
• water (ten buckets).

This should be enough for five medium-sized bushes. After removing weeds and loosening the soil, mulch the bed with a layer of peat or humus 3 centimeters thick.

When the height of the stems reaches 25-30 centimeters, start thinning: leave no more than five stems in each bush, so that the inflorescences will turn out to be large. Remove weak shoots by cutting off near the surface of the earth - this way you will protect plants from diseases, and the air will circulate more intensively.

When the height reaches 45-50 centimeters, dig in next to each bush three pegs no more than 1.8 meters high, being careful not to damage the root system. Tie the stems to these pegs using strips of fabric to protect them from strong winds. At a height of 1-1.2 meters, perform the following tying.

During the growing season, each plant absorbs up to 60 liters of water daily. If the summer turned out to be dry, then every day pour two or three buckets of water under the root; after the soil has dried, loosen it to a depth of 3 centimeters.

Note! During the formation of inflorescences, plants especially need water, because if the heat comes, then “gaps” without flowers may remain. To avoid this, water the bed abundantly and apply potassium-phosphorus fertilizers (20 grams per bucket of water - about a liter of the finished solution for each plant).

Toward the end of summer, bushes may develop powdery mildew- a fungus in which the leaves are covered with a whitish coating, which subsequently becomes brown. If you remain inactive, the plants will soon die, so at the slightest sign of illness, treat the culture with a solution of foundationazole (although you can use Topaz instead of the latter).

If you notice on the leaves dark spots, which means that we are talking about black spotting, which can only be overcome at the initial stages of development by means of a double treatment with a tetracycline solution (one tablet per liter of water).

As for pests, the plant is afraid of the delphinium fly, which lays eggs on it, and slugs. In the first case, use insecticides, and in the second, bleach (sprinkle the latter into jars and arrange in the garden).

Summing up

As you can see, at first you may get the impression that growing Delphinium, especially with the help of seeds, is an extremely troublesome business. However, if you are not afraid of difficulties and are ready to spend a little time and effort, then the results you have achieved will really please the eye!

DELPHINIUM ANNUAL, or LIVING SOWING, OR FIELD, OR ROYAL CONSOLIDA

"Delphinium Garden Hybrid""Delphinium Garden Hybrid" DELPHINIUM ANNUAL, or LORKSHOOD Sowing, or CONSOLIDA Royal- all these are the names of one plant that grows wild in fields throughout Europe. One of the most difficult tasks of a grower is to create beautiful flower beds for different zones garden. To get acquainted with the ready-made author's ideas for their creation and photographs of the colors used, we suggest watching this video course!

The most popular types of Delphinium annual:

1. DELPHINIUM ROYAL:

An annual herbaceous garden plant. Quite decorative and flowering - up to 1 m tall, sometimes more, with bright blue flowers, rarely located on the stem.

It has varieties with white centers on a blue background of flowers, as well as large cut varieties with pink and blue large flowers. There are varieties with crimson, pale pink, white and lilac flowers, collected in large brushes on large peduncles. The plant is unpretentious.

The seeds germinate well. "Delphinium Garden Hybrid" Delphinium is also called spur or larkspur. Delphinium flowers look like a flock of swimming dolphins, which gave the name to this flower. The plant itself, of extraordinary beauty, sometimes up to 2 meters high.

A large number (up to 80 pieces) of flowers are located on a thin trunk. The delphinium inflorescence has a pyramidal shape, terry, semi-double or simple flowers painted in various colors. Delphiniums are divided into:

Delphinium annual

- about 40 varieties of this plant are known. annual delphinium less capricious in cultivation than perennial. Seeds are planted immediately in the garden in a permanent place in early spring.

Already by mid-May - early June begins abundant flowering annual delphinium.

Delphinium perennial - this species is divided into several types:

• Delphinium Persian;Delphinium golostebelny;Delphinium large-flowered.

Delphinium flowers often have a rich blue color. Since this color is quite rare among flowers, flower growers like to plant delphiniums in their flower beds.

Growing perennial delphinium

1. Planting delphinium seeds

In March, seeds are laid out in prepared and sifted soil. It has been noticed that the thicker the delphinium seeds are sown, the more amicably they sprout. Seeds are sprinkled with a small layer (3-4 mm) of earth, pressed down on top of the earth and gently watered.

A perennial delphinium emerges in ten days, and after a month, you can dive it.

2. Reproduction of perennial delphinium cuttings

At the root neck, the shoot of the old plant is cut off and cuttings. The cuttings are planted in the sand, watered abundantly and determine a place in the shade. After three weeks, roots form in the moist sand, and independent young plants can be planted in a permanent place.

3. Reproduction by the kidneys

At the root neck, at the end of July, buds appear that can be used as cuttings. Rooting takes place under the same conditions as when cutting: the kidney is planted in a shady area of ​​​​the garden, constantly watered. Rooting occurs a little later - after five weeks.

4. Division of the rhizome

Bushes of perennial delphinium aged 3-4 years are suitable for division by rhizome. The rhizome is cut along the trunk into pieces with one or more shoots. The plant can be immediately planted in a permanent place, and watered abundantly at first.

Care tips and rules for growing perennial delphinium.

• Watering is done only under the root. Otherwise, a disease may appear: powdery mildew; Abundant watering, especially in dry weather, is necessary for the plant. After watering obligatory loosening. Loosening is carried out carefully so as not to damage the roots close to the surface; The subcortex of a perennial delphinium is carried out in three stages: April - the beginning of active growth, June - the beginning of flowering, the third stage - at the end of flowering; In the spring, thinning of old bushes is carried out: leave 4-5 strong shoots; High varieties are tied to a support.

Delphinium annual - garden decoration

Once you see this plant in a neighboring area, you will not be able to forget it. Small flowers stick around the stem, shining white, pink and lilac. The corollas of the delphinium are similar to the noses of the most intelligent marine inhabitants, therefore they are named after them.

This decoration of the site is the real pride of summer residents. After all, not everyone manages to grow a delphinium: it is quite whimsical.

What is it - an annual delphinium?

Alternative names for the delphinium are larkspur, spur, lark legs, knight's spurs. Each flower contains not only petals, but also a long "spur" located opposite them. Hence the names with spurs and legs.

Delphinium is a fast-growing plant of the ranunculus family, capable of reaching human height throughout the season. Delphinium is pollinated either by bumblebees or hummingbirds (in exotic countries)

There are two types of annual delphinium:

Field - high grade, the plant reaches a height of one and a half meters. Flowers - pink, blue, lilac and white flowers. In addition, flowers can have a different texture - terry or regular. This variety blooms from early summer to September.

Delphinium ajax - more ornamental plant, having a height of 30 cm to 1 m. Purple and red colors are added to the standard pink-lilac palette of flowers. Ajax variety blooms by mid-summer.

Planting delphinium seeds

Sowing a delphinium is quite simple, but the seeds can fail: not all of them give strong shoots. Therefore, it is better not to buy delphinium seeds, but to select the best from a proven plant with your own hands.

It should be remembered that the similarity of seeds lasts 3-4 years, so you can collect planting material "in reserve". It is necessary to sow the seeds of the annual delphinium directly into open ground (delphinium seedlings often do not give the expected results, so this option may not be tried).

You can sow the plant in the ground in the spring, but the autumn time is best suited (before the start of frost). Having survived the winter in the ground, the seeds will become stronger and give better shoots in the spring.

Planting a delphinium with seeds is good if you already know exactly where the plant will grow in the area. You need to sow immediately there, because the delphinium really does not like transplanting because of its weak root system.

This plant should not be planted too tightly - at the rate of up to 9 bushes per 1 sq. m. Otherwise, you risk taking ground food from the delphinium, from which the plant will grow weak. Any land for an annual delphinium is suitable, but in clay soil he will feel much better than in sandy.

The same applies to lighting: this plant can grow in the sun and in the shade, but it will produce scarce flowers. So the best thing is to immediately find a partially shaded place with black soil for the delphinium.

How to grow a delphinium from seeds

After sowing the seeds, the annual delphinium will need some care. Throughout the growing season, it will need to be fed with complex fertilizers containing minerals.

And when the flowers bloom, it will be possible to strengthen them with the help of calcium fertilizers under the root. Delphinium is a fairly tall plant, so the wind can break its stems.

But knowing how to grow a delphinium from seeds, you will not allow this, because you will know that the stems need to be tied up in a timely manner. For this, wooden supports up to 2 m high are ideal. As for watering, here the delphinium is unpretentious.

Although in hot weather it needs to be watered more often, preferably under the root. In addition to watering, the delphinium will need to loosen the soil so that the bush gets enough oxygen. But you need to loosen the soil very carefully so as not to damage the delicate roots of the plant.

In general, summer residents have to tinker with the delphinium. But having grown this chic flower, they can be proud of a tall handsome bush that looks good among vegetable beds and among other flowers!

delphinium varieties

The delphinium belongs to the Buttercup family. It can even reach 2 meters in height, and the most common colors of the plant's inflorescences are pink, red, blue, blue, white, and purple.

The soil for the delphinium needs fertile, loamy or sandy loam with moderate moisture. If you have planned to plant a lawn, then it is worth at least slightly moving them away from each other

The delphinium is planted on a well-dug substrate in a deep hole, because in one place a flower can live for 8 or 10 years, it is necessary to have somewhere to take root. Groups into which they distinguish perennial delphiniums, can be distributed as follows (according to the places where they naturally germinated):

• American; Eurasian (most matching flowers for ornamental gardens). The most common varieties are: delphinium labiate, tall, blue Chinese with large flowers, pale purple Kashmir, non-frost-resistant blue, short-spurred with rare dark blue flowers, golostalny with rare large bells and red; African (one of the most successful varieties is large-spurred with blue -green dense inflorescences, similar to asters in the pomp of petals, and in pickiness to climbing roses). delphiniums that grew in gardens, interbred themselves, and form a group called hybrid are distinguished as a separate variety.

Decorative annual species of delphinium there are these:

• field delphinium. This flower has been growing in gardens since 1572. Its inflorescences reach a height of 30 cm, rather loose with a different color. It is customary to grow these flowers under the cut. The most honorable places in beauty belong to the varieties Frosted Sky, dark blue delphinium Qis Dark Blu and pale pink Qis Rose; garden delphinium or Ajax. It has rather dissected leaves, the height of the stem is sometimes up to 100 cm, the root is a rod. Pleases with flowering from the advent of summer to autumn rains. The most beloved varieties of this type of flower: terry with hyacinth-like inflorescences, dwarf plants only 30 cm high (grade Dwarf Hyacinth) - white, raspberry, purple colors.

Storage and germination of seeds

The reason gardeners often fail to germinate even delphinium seedlings, let alone difficult climbing plants, is improper seed storage and seedling handling. The variety that novice gardeners most often come across is the New Zealand delphinium, which is worth talking about in more detail.

You need to store the seeds of such a delphinium in the cold (refrigerator or balcony), because even when stored at -15 degrees in sealed packaging, they can germinate, even if 10 years have passed. But after 11 months of storage in a paper bag in a warm apartment, the seeds will no longer sprout.

It is best to sow seeds collected by yourself or taken from friends. They can be stored for up to 3 years in foil or in a glass jar, in an airtight bag in a cold place - then the crop will surely rise.

annual plant

Its seeds are excellent for self-germination. It is better to do this in late March early April.

So, the ground in the box must first be watered (for medium-sized boxes, 3 grams of seeds will be enough). Throw the seeds into the substrate in a scatter, then lightly press down with a sheet of cardboard or a plank and immediately pour the “rammed” crops so that there is no more 3 mm soil. You can cover the box with foil. After 10 days, good seedlings should germinate.

Perennial

It is better to sow a perennial delphinium like this: buy peat tablets and place them in plastic cups. Leave the delphinium seeds in a wet napkin, germinate in the refrigerator. As soon as the seeds "wake up", transfer them to the soil (loose peat tablet).

But not all pills are suitable for delphinium: the fact is that this flower does not really like acidic soils. Therefore, you can do it easier - just plant the seeds in garden soil, harvested in the fall, mixed with sand or husks from bran, straw.

planting technology

Germination of flower seeds is worth initial stage at home but before that you need to be prepared.

Training

Description

Delphinium flowers are quite hardy, they will tolerate partial shading and even frost well. But at the same time they are found in gardens and flower beds quite rarely.

This is because growing it through seedlings is a laborious process. These flowers, also called spur or larkspur, are called in scientific world- Delphinium perennial. And its variety is represented by both annual plants and perennials - there are about 400 species of them.

But it is worth noting that all of them are poisonous plants. The flowers of this culture are very beautiful, as demonstrated by the video clip. And, without a doubt, they are worth it to grow them on household plots and not only. Therefore, you need to know how to grow a delphinium from seeds.

What is successful planting

The myth that it is completely impossible to grow a delphinium from seeds at home arose due to the fact that not all gardeners and flower growers know their features. When buying seeds on market stalls and in non-specialized stores, the risk of getting low germination as a result of planting increases, since the key to success is precisely the conditions in which the planting material was stored.

So, for example, at room temperature, seedlings are able to maintain their germination properties only for 10-11 months. While sub-zero temperatures significantly increase the “term” of seed storage, thereby ensuring their germination for 14-15 years. Therefore, at the risk of purchasing delphinium seeds in primitive shops, remember that even if you follow the recommendations for growing, the result can be very even deplorable. It is better to use the services of breeders directly, or trusted suppliers.

Those gardeners who already own a beautiful delphinium can collect seeds on their own. A sunny day will be suitable for collection.

You need to collect only ripened fruits, which, as a rule, have a brown color. Good quality material will be the fruits of plants that have fully grown and developed.

Seeds should be stored in airtight glass containers placed in a cool place - on a balcony, veranda or on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. When to sow, preparing seedlings If you want the delphinium to bloom in the year of its planting, then sowing seeds must be carried out in February-March.

For those who can provide illumination for seedlings with a phytolamp, mid-February is suitable. In early March, normal sowing can be carried out, without additional lighting. Before sowing, planting material should be prepared. The preparation process consists in the fact that the seeds are moistened with water and subjected to stratification.

• the seeds are distributed in an even layer on a small piece of cotton fabric; then a small roll is rolled out of the fabric (not tight); all this is placed in a container where there should be some water at the bottom; the container with seedlings is placed in a room where the temperature is maintained at about 5 - 6 degrees.

In this form, planting material is left for a week. During this entire period, it is imperative to monitor the condition of the tissue with seeds. It should not be wet, but constantly wet.

It will be possible to determine when the seeds are ready for planting by their external state: a large mass of them should swell well, and white dots (future sprouts) will appear on some.

How to sow and what will be needed

So that growing a delphinium is not a hassle, deep enough seeds should be taken for sowing. wooden boxes. Their depth should be at least 10 cm. The substrate is poured into such containers almost to the brim, leaving only about 1.5 cm.

The soil in which the cultivation of the delphinium will be the most optimal should consist of black soil (or peat), humus and sand, taken in equal parts. Delphinium, the cultivation of seeds of which is carried out in a substrate with high acidity, does not develop so well. And later, the inflorescences of such plants can have an excellent promised shade. The soil prepared in the box must be leveled - now you can plant the seeds.

Since the delphinium has rather small seedlings, sowing them will facilitate the use of a toothpick dipped in water. It is necessary to sow seedlings in 2 pieces per 1 sq. cm. They can be lightly tamped into the substrate, sprinkled with a layer of 3 mm on top.

The sowing of the delphinium ends with uniform soil moisture. It is not necessary to cover the containers with film and glass. Instead, paper (newspaper) or a piece of burlap should be used. Next, the boxes with landings must be placed in a room with a temperature regime of about +14 degrees (possibly from +12 to +15).

Next, what will need to be provided to the seedlings is moisture if necessary and daily checks. When right conditions content, growing delphinium from seeds will be marked by the appearance of the first sprouts after 8-12 days. As a rule, the final result of the germination of a given flower culture will be visible in 14 days.

And, if about 60% of all the planted seeds sprouted, then you did everything correctly. The following video will show how to sow seeds using the New Zealand species as an example. In other situations, when the germination percentage is low, there is a possibility of planting not very high quality seeds. Or the maintenance of greenhouses was not at the proper temperature.

From seedlings to seedlings

At the emergence of seedlings of the delphinium, its cultivation does not end. In order to get a full-fledged seedling, it is worth making a lot of effort.

After all, the seedlings that have appeared need special care. The seedlings that have appeared as a result of sowing the seeds are grown in boxes for another couple of weeks. During this period, the sprouts will need watering.

It is only necessary to carry it out very carefully, since excess moisture is extremely destructive for delphinium seedlings. You can use a small watering can for irrigation, but it is better if there are drainage holes in the bottom of the box to place them in containers with water. You can dive seedlings when 1-2 full-fledged leaves appear on the stems.

For transplantation, it is recommended to use peat cups, the volume of which can be from 200 to 300 ml and with a diameter of about 9 cm. Delphinium in the form of seedlings dives together with a clod of earth from a box so that the risk of damaging the roots of the plant is minimal. Substrate for picking and further cultivation seedlings should be light and have good breathable properties. Also, do not forget about acidity, because the soil with a neutral or slightly acidic composition the best option to grow a beautiful and healthy delphinium.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Seedlings of this flower crop can be transplanted into the garden only after the spring weather has stabilized. The beginning and middle of May will do. In principle, slight frosts will not harm the sprouts, but it is better to avoid this.

Transplanting plants to the garden will not cause difficulties if peat cups were used for picking. Completely healthy seedlings take root in 90% of cases, but it is still better to shade the delphinium in the first days after transplantation. In general, growing this flower crop, which consists in sowing seeds at home, is quite realistic.

The main thing that sprouts will need is constant attention and caution when watering and transplanting. To grow a perennial delphinium on your site means not to leave it without attention and enthusiastic views.

Most plant species are perennials. However, annuals are also found, they bloom earlier, but they will have to be sown every year.

Did you know that delphiniums are considered "male" flowers. Find out what other flowers are usually given to men.

The first step is the right sowing

Delphinium cultivation, planting and care begins with sowing seeds. Seeds when wrong temperature regime storage very quickly lose their germination. Therefore, choose as fresh as possible, guided by the date of collection on the bag.

Sowing begins in late February - early March. A box with a height of at least 10 centimeters is filled with the prepared mixture: 1 part garden soil, 1 part of humus, 0.5 parts of sand. The surface is leveled, moistened and laid out seeds - 2 pieces per square centimeter.

Lightly sprinkle with earth on top and spray with a spray bottle. Seeds need darkness to germinate. Therefore, after sowing, the box is covered with thick paper or black covering material. The optimum temperature for germination is 16-18 degrees.

After about a week, shoots should appear. It is important not to miss this moment and remove the shelter in time.

From shoots to strong seedlings

How to care for a delphinium after germination? A box with seedlings is placed on the windowsill, closer to the glass. There, the seedlings will have enough light and a suitable low temperature.

When two true leaves are formed, young plants dive into separate pots. The soil is used the same as for sowing, with the addition of a complete mineral fertilizer. During cultivation, seedlings are fed with a liquid complex fertilizer once every two weeks.

It should be watered through the pan, without over-wetting, so that the seedlings do not get sick with a black leg. In mid-late April, plants are taken out every day for several hours outside for hardening.

If the temperature is positive at night, the seedlings in pots are left outside all day and night. Two weeks after the start of hardening, the strengthened and grown plants are planted in open ground. For the first time, the spur blooms in the year of planting in August.

When planting, it is necessary to provide supports, because large, heavy flower stalks without support can break under their own weight.

Perennial and annual spur - what's the difference?

The annual delphinium has the same bright palette of colors, but its height does not exceed 1 meter, the flowers are much smaller than those of a perennial counterpart. Caring for a perennial and annual delphinium does not differ: watering without waterlogging, fertilizing once every two weeks and protection from the main enemies - slugs.

But sowing seedlings of an annual delphinium is rarely practiced. The easiest way is to sow it in the fall directly in open ground. During the winter, the seeds will undergo a natural stratification.

After the appearance of mass shoots, they are thinned out, leaving no more than 10 plants per square meter. If you want to have a delphinium in your garden, growing from seeds is The best way get seedlings of various varieties and species.

Moreover, it is economical more profitable than buying young plants in pots. By spending a little time growing seedlings from seeds, you can decorate the garden with wonderful multi-colored delphinium inflorescences.

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Choosing plants for designer planting in flower beds summer cottages and parks, gardeners often stop at the delphinium.

It is distinguished by unpretentiousness in care and external beauty, which will allow you to grow a delphinium in a variety of conditions.

• 1 A bit of history
• 2 General information
• 3 Application

• 6 Basic care
• 7 Wintering

Delphinium (Delphinium) is also called spur and larkspur. The latter is often found in colloquial speech. There are several versions of the appearance of such a name.

Some scientists talk about the similarity of an unblown flower with a dolphin, others note that in Ancient Greece a huge number of delphinium was found in the city of Delphi, where the temple of Delphic Apollo was located and the Delphic oracle lived. In Russia, the word "spur" comes from the similarity of the outgrowth appendage with a cavalry spur.

The name larkspur is a reference to the meaning of the plant in folk medicine: the tincture of the flower was used to heal wounds.

In total, about 450 species are known, of which 100 species grow in Russia, among them the most popular are perennial larkspur high and annual larkspur field. The flower is common in northern countries and the African tropics, many species grow in Asia, mainly in China.

It should be noted that the specified number of species is not accurate: due to the huge number of varieties and the difficulty in identifying common features, some authors identify up to 1.2 thousand flower varieties. Other species are so few that they are in danger of extinction.

Delphinium belongs to the Buttercup family. Its dimensions are very diverse: some dwarf varieties do not grow more than 10 cm, others giant views reach 2.5-3 meters.

The stem is hollow inside, the leaves are large, dark green, sharp at the ends. Flowers consist of 5 petals, one of which has the spike indicated above. Petals can grow in one or more rows, they are simple and terry.

The inflorescence itself consists of several dozen flowers: in primitive species, the number does not exceed 15 pieces, in more developed ones it reaches 80 pieces. In this case, the length of the inflorescence can reach a meter in length. Thanks to heavy brushes, in which small flowers are collected, the spur looks very beautiful and noble.

The color diversity of the delphinium is especially worth noting: despite the fact that blue and blue shades are most often found in nature, purple, lilac, white and even pink, red or black flowers can be seen in gardens. You can see the variety of species and choose the most suitable option in the photo.

In the wild, the delphinium mainly grows in the mountains and easily tolerates low, up to -20 degrees, temperatures. Other varieties, on the contrary, are heat-resistant and not demanding on dryness. Cultivars have all the advantages of wild "brothers".

Basically, the spur is used in ornamental horticulture: the Royal Horticultural Society has been breeding it since the 17th century. Also, some varieties were used as dyes.

Some species have also proven themselves in medicine as painkillers and antimicrobials. They are also used as relaxants to increase muscle tone in case of nervous diseases: Parkinson's disease, traumatic paralysis, multiple sclerosis.

AT folk recipes the flower is used for female, genitourinary or venereal diseases, digestive diseases, liver enlargement, jaundice, inflammation or pus of the eye.

There are annual and perennial varieties, but most gardeners prefer the latter, as they do not require an annual "update". Among the most popular, it is worth noting spurs with unusual flower colors:

1. Delphinium "Leroy". Heat-loving plant, characterized by a sweet smell and a greenish tint.
2. Delphinium "Astolat". It has large double and semi-double pink flowers.
3. Terry delphinium. Blooms from late spring to late summer. Through selection, you can find black, red and yellow shades.
4. Kashmir delphinium. It has purple flowers with a black center.
5. Delphinium "King Arthur". The owner of dark blue flowers with a white center.
6. labial delphinium. A plant of an unusual color: its petals have blue-green and gray shades.
7. Delphinium "Bruno". It has blue-violet petals, but does not tolerate frost well.
8. Holostem delphinium. Low, no more than a meter in height, a variety with red-orange flowers. It is extremely thermophilic, it is best to grow it in pots and clean it for the winter in a warm place.

It is also worth noting the varieties "Waltz", "Ocean" and "Butterfly", the hybrid "Belladonna", the giant "Summer Sky", "Blue Lace", snow-white "Galahad", light pink "Caroline". Their descriptions are easy to find on garden center websites.

No less popular undersized varieties:

1. "Naples". Plant height up to 1.2 meters with large purple flowers;
2. blue delphinium. Low, up to a meter, a plant that is best grown in pots. Flowers are rich blue tint with a black center. Extremely thermophilic, for the winter it is necessary to clean it;
3. rare delphinium. It grows up to 75 cm, blooms in the second half of summer, the flowers are quite rare;
4. Short-spured delphinium. This is a frost-resistant plant up to 30 cm high. Distributed in Alaska, the Arctic and northern Russia.

It is worth noting the pyramidal delphinium - due to its unpretentiousness, the variety is extremely popular and widespread. It endures up to 20 degrees of frost, and its roots are able to take root even on poor stony soils. Flowering occurs from July to September. Delphinium "Sweethearts" is no less in demand, as well as all New Zealand varieties with excellent health and unpretentiousness.

Despite the unpretentiousness, it is best to plant a flower in neutral, fertile soil. Acidic lands will not work: if the selected area is such, it is worth adding a little lime in the fall or dolomite flour to remove excess acid. It will also be useful to make manure or peat.

Spurs love warmth and sunlight, but a problem may arise with the wind: due to thin leaves, the plant can break with strong gusts. You will need to tie the stems or plant them next to the shelter.

In autumn, it is necessary to dig up the soil and fertilize it. mineral fertilizers. Planting sprouts must be done in April-May, when the frosts have passed. If the choice fell on frost-resistant varieties, you can plant them earlier. Usually, sprouts with several leaves are planted in open ground.

Consider the procedure for planting a delphinium in open ground:

1. It is necessary to dig a hole in the ground with a depth and diameter of about 40-50 cm, the distance between the holes should be about 60-70 cm;
2. You need to mix half a bucket of compost, 2 tablespoons complex fertilizer and a glass of ash with earth and fill the pit completely;
3. In the resulting land, you need to make a small depression, plant a seedling in it and tamp the ground, then water it.

If the seedlings are small and weak, it is necessary to cover them with cut tops. plastic bottles with covers removed. This will help create a greenhouse effect. After 2-3 weeks, when the delphinium takes root and begins to grow, the bottles are removed.

Despite the fact that the spur is not particularly whimsical, it requires certain conditions to be met that will allow you to get an excellent result:

1. Delphinium requires regular but moderate watering 1-2 times a week, 2-3 buckets of water per mature plant. If the summer is rainy, watering can be completely excluded.
2. Delphinium will require 3 feedings over the summer. At the end of April, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are needed, for example, a solution of a bucket of cow dung in 10 buckets of water will help enhance growth and development. In early summer, when buds begin to appear, potash and phosphorus fertilizers with a small amount of nitrogen will be required. The last time top dressing is necessary after the fall of the flowers. It is necessary to use potash and phosphorus mixtures without nitrogen content - this will help to achieve seed maturation.
3. It is necessary to thin out the delphinium when the plant reaches 20-30 cm. 3-5 stems are left on one bush, removing the rest. This will form a beautiful large-flowered hat. The excess is cut off near the ground itself.

1. In order for the delphinium not to break, it is necessary to put a support for it: it is installed when the flower reaches half a meter in height. It is tied up after reaching a height of one meter. The height of the support should exceed the flower itself and be no shorter than 1.8-2 meters.
2. If seeds are not needed, after the end of flowering, it is worth cutting the stems at a height of about 30 cm, without waiting for the seeds to form. After pruning, so that water does not get into the hollow stems, the cut is smeared with clay. You can also leave the delphinium without pruning and just collect the seeds.

The spur is a frost-resistant plant and easily survives mild winters without much tricks.

Before the start of the autumn rains, the cut should be smeared with clay so that the water that gets in does not cause rot.

For the winter, the beds should be covered with spruce branches or straw. It is much more dangerous for a plant to change temperatures and melt snow, as rhizomes may suffer.

To avoid this, it is worth adding sand or broken stone before planting in the pit: this will help to remove excess moisture.

Low plants planted in pots, it is enough to bring them into a cool, snow-protected room.

You can grow a flower in different ways:

1. With the help of seeds. After harvest, the seeds retain excellent germination properties for 4 years, but after that they are practically useless. Before planting, it is necessary to place the seeds in the cold for several weeks, for example, in the vegetable section of the refrigerator - this will help to harden the seeds. Then I plant them in a container using standard peat soil. Delphinium seeds do not need much deepening, it is enough to lightly sprinkle them with earth and pour them from a spray bottle. Glass must be placed on the container to create the effect of a greenhouse.

After a few days, when the seeds germinate and sprouts appear, they can be thinned out. In early May, they can be planted in open ground.

1. With the help of division. Carried out after the second flowering. In autumn, after pruning, the bush is carefully dug up and divided into 2 parts, the places of cuts are sprinkled with ash or coal and buried again at a distance from each other.
2. With the help of cuttings. The procedure has its own subtleties and is mainly carried out in the middle of spring or autumn, when the delphinium does not bloom. To do this, cut off a part of the cutting (about 15 cm) with a piece of root (about 2-3 cm) with a sharp tool. It is transplanted into a separate hole or tub and watered abundantly until the spur takes root.

The latter option is preferred for several reasons:

1. Being part of a bush, the cutting is used to the terrain and adapts to it more easily;
2. The main bush practically does not suffer from division, if it is protected from infection;
3. In this way, you can easily grow a delphinium in one place, constantly updating the bushes.

In order for reproduction to go smoothly, you should watch a video on how this is done in advance.

Any problems are easier to prevent than to treat. The delphinium has few enemies, timely care and prevention will help get rid of them. Among the enemies of the plant stand out:

1. Fungal diseases: powdery mildew and leaf ramularia. To prevent, it is necessary to monitor the absence of excess water and carry out spraying.

1. Bacteriological diseases: black and ring spot. If affected leaves and branches are found, they must be immediately removed and the leaves sprayed.
2. Pests: among insects, aphids, the delphinium fly and various caterpillars that devour leaves and seeds are especially harmful. To combat them, insecticides must be used.

Despite some difficulties in care, the delphinium remains quite popular and in demand in gardening. Due to its large and bright colors, the spur is often found in the landscape of parks and on summer cottages. Before buying seeds, you should look at the pictures in advance to choose the option you like best.

What varieties are best for planting in your garden, see the following video: